Dog Days Are Over
by grednforge117
Summary: After the war, Hermione tries to go back to the way things were, but some things have changed irrevocably. Things never really work out like you expect them to, though do they? Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back. Struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that. Not a songfic, but the lyrics are appropriate. DMHG. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: The Heads

**Disclaimer: I did not come up with any of Harry Potter, or else I'd be enjoying first class seats to the Olympic games. Instead I'm sitting on my couch writing this story as I watch the games on my tele. Hope you enjoy, please let me know!**

**Chapter 1: The Heads**

Hermione Granger leaned back against the seat in her compartment, curling up with a cup of tea and her book. As much as she enjoyed the Hogwarts Express rides with Harry and Ron, she enjoyed the peace and quiet that the private compartment reserved for the Head Boy and Girl provided her. After Hogwarts had been rebuilt, and its students re-enrolled, it did not shock her to find the Head Girl badge along with her list of seventh year classes and books. The position of Head Boy was highly debated at the Burrow, mostly by Harry and Ron, who were convinced it would be Justin Finch-Fletchley. Hermione knew better. She knew it before Professor McGonogall refused to tell them when she dined with them one night, instead giving her a resigned and weary look, shaking her head slightly. She knew it could only be him, as he had always been hot on her heels in academics, challenging her number one ranking and keeping her on her toes.

_At least he's not here yet, I'll have a moment's peace_, she thought only a moment too soon.

"Granger," he drawled, acknowledging her presence with a curt nod. Draco Malfoy entered the compartment, waving his trunk to the racks above their heads. Hermione looked up at him, offering him the same greeting. "Malfoy," she said quietly, then immediately returned to her book as he took a seat on the bench across from her.

"What are you reading?" he asked after a while. She looked up from her book and noticed that he was simply sitting there, no book, no magazine, nothing to entertain him. She sighed and lifted the book from her lap, showing him the title.

"Lord of the Rings," he read out loud.

"It's written by a muggle, you've probably never heard of it, " she said, resuming her place in the chapter.

"A fair assumption," Malfoy remarked, lying down on the bench to take a nap.

And that was the end of their conversation. Hermione peered over her book to look at him again, as he dozed off. He was no longer the skinny, awkward boy she had once hit, but strong and manly, taller than even Ron. His decision to betray his family, to join the Order's side of the war was met with a lot of resistance, from both sides. Harry and Ron refused to let him be a part of anything, due to his role in Dumbledore's death. But Hermione could see that he wasn't a killer, couldn't be one if he tried. It was his one redeeming quality. That and his hair, she thought with a smirk, as he brushed away one of his locks of blonde hair in his sleep. Though she had not forgiven him for his atrocious behavior towards her in their years at Hogwarts, she had begrudgingly grown to respect him whilst fighting by his side. She closed her eyes, blinking away the tears as she thought about what could have happened to all of them if he hadn't been there. When she opened them, he was staring back at her, his grey eyes alight with amusement.

"Enjoying the view, Granger?" he smirked, turning to face her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and returned to her tome. "Bugger off, Malfoy," she retorted. Seeing that there was no keeping her from her book, Malfoy rolled onto his back and dozed off again.

As annoying as he was, Hermione was grateful that he at least let her have her peace, to read and enjoy her tea. She finished off her cup and refilled it again, reclining and resuming her place in the novel.

…

Malfoy was in and out of sleep, all the while thinking about the girl sitting across from him, nose firmly in the depths of that book of hers. She was curled up in her seat like a cat, taking up as little room as possible. She was tiny.

Tiny, but not weak or frail, he knew that. He knew first hand just how strong she was, having been on the receiving end of her curses many times. But he saw her true strength during the war, when she fought so bravely, like a true Gryffindor, against the people he once called family. She had been the only one to trust him at first, though she was ever cautious around him.

He remembered the one time she had shown kindness towards him, affection even. Waking in the sterile room in St. Mungo's amidst the sea of red-hair, he saw her sitting in the chair beside his bed, nervously wringing her hands. As she looked up at him, seeing him finally look back, her chestnut eyes shone with unspent tears and she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly to her. He wouldn't have been able to move even if he tried he was so shocked by her actions, even more so when she placed the softest of kisses on his lips, whispering, _Thank you_, before she slipped away.

He awoke to that, looking over at the girl who had once shown him…what? _Love?_ _Affection?_ He didn't even know what to call it.

She had looked up from her book when he startled awake. She looked at him quizzically, then rolled her eyes and returned to her book, now much further along in it then he had seen before.

_Well there's none of that left there now, _he though bitterly, though he knew they were all to blame for that.

He noticed that she was no longer wearing the jeans and sweater she boarded the train in, but her robes, the Head Girl brooch neatly pinned on her chest.

"How long was I asleep?" he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and stretching the kinks out of his muscles. _Remind me never to sleep on these hardboards they call seats, _he thought to himself, sore from the uncomfortable sleeping position.

"The entire ride," she replied, never looking up. "We're less than an hour away."

He noticed her clothes folded neatly on the seat beside her and wondered, "Did you change into your robes in here, Granger?"

She blushed slightly from behind her book and he got his answer. "What? No! Of course not, Malfoy," she cried out indignantly.

"No? Then why the red face?" he continued, smirking and looking at her up and down lecherously.

Hermione grasped for a retort but couldn't think of one, giving in. "Oh whatever. The loo is all the way down at the end of the train car and you were fast asleep."

"Was I?" he quipped, regretting being unaware to the half-naked woman in his compartment, though thoroughly enjoying how uncomfortable Hermione was with the topic.

"Yes you were," she said definitively, snapping her book shut. "And I put up a barrier just to be sure." She got up from her seat, putting her Muggle garments and book away. "Anyway, you should probably change as well. We'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon enough and we have to lead the first years."

Draco shrugged as she opened the door to leave, only to be faced with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott at the entrance to their compartment.

"Hello Granger," Theo said genuinely, nodding at her with a slight smile.

"Nott. Zabini," she answered in greeting, stepping aside to allow them to come in.

"So you're the Head Girl?" Blaise asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm, a smirk playing at his lips. "I never would have guessed."

"Your wit knows no bounds Zabini," Hermione replied dryly, leaving the boys in the compartment alone.

"Drakie-poo!"

Hermione cringed and groaned outwardly at the shrill voice that belonged to Pansy Parkinson.

"Oh, what are you doing here mudblood?" she sneered, noticing Hermione and glaring at her with utter revulsion. Hermione looked back at her in kind.

"That word could get you expelled from Hogwarts, Parkinson," Hermione retorted coolly. "Surely even you're smart enough to know that."

Pansy reared up to insult Hermione again when she saw Draco emerge from the neighboring train compartment, Blaise and Theo behind him. Pansy smiled and waved at him, then looked at Hermione with confusion and disgust.

"How did you ever get Draco to sit in a compartment with you, muddy? Did you spike his drink with a love potion?" she said with a snort.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and walked towards the pug-faced girl. "Mmm yes, and then I had my wicked, wicked way with him," she said in a seductively low voice, though the three boys at the end of the hall could hear her perfectly. She brushed past Pansy, rolling her eyes and could hear the low laughter from the Slytherins behind her.

Pansy raised her wand at the girl, but before she could breathe out the words of her spell, her wand snapped out of her hand and flew into Hermione's open palm. Hermione whipped around, her calm face now sharpened with fury, her eyes ablaze. The hall was quiet with fear and even Pansy had the sense to cower.

"If I ever catch you cursing anyone from behind again," she fumed, aiming at Pansy with her own wand, "I'll break it." She gave her one last glare before tossing Pansy's wand at her feet and turning on her heels, making her way to Harry, Ron, and Ginny's compartment.

Pansy, shaking, reached down to pick up her wand. She turned around to see Nott looking relieved to see Hermione and her fury gone, Blaise smirking, his eyes mocking her, and Draco looking at the retreating girl's back, a look in his eyes she couldn't place. _Respect? Admiration? Lust? _Whatever it was, she knew he had never seen him look at her like that and she didn't like it one bit.

…

"Head Boy: Draco Malfoy!" Professor McGonogall called out amidst raucous cheers from the Slytherin table and scattered applause from the other three houses.

Draco walked up from his seat by Blaise and Theo, to where the Headmistress stood at the front of the hall.

"And our Head Girl: Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonogall cried as soon as Draco had reached her side. Hermione smiled, rising from her seat to join the Headmistress and her fellow Head, her friends patting her on the back and cheering for her as she walked.

"Prefects, please lead your houses to their common rooms. You know where they are now. Go swiftly and carefully, and remember children," she warned, looking pointedly at the first years, "don't forget your passwords."

The Great Hall emptied quickly as the students were herded to their new common rooms. As the last students exited, Professor McGonogall turned on Hermione and Draco with a soft smile. "Let me show you to your chambers," Professor McGonogall started, leading them out of the Great Hall.

Hermione was confused, though she followed along. "I thought the Heads were to stay in their own Houses?"

"They were," Professor McGonogall replied, leading them down a passageway that was new to both. "But the castle was changed drastically when it was rebuilt, giving the two of you the opportunity to experience the Head chambers for the first time." She stopped in front of a portrait of a snake and a lion intertwined together and Hermione and Draco realized what she meant.

"We're supposed to live together?" Hermione exclaimed incredulously. She looked over at Draco, who was smiling lecherously back at her, his eyebrow cocked in challenge. "No way, I'm not sharing a room with him!"

"Calm yourself Miss Granger," Professor McGonogall consoled, not unaware of the look Draco just gave the girl. "You'll only be sharing a common room and a bathroom. Your bed chambers will remain separate." She glanced over at Draco, who merely shrugged.

_A place all to myself, _he thought. He hadn't had that in years, first sharing his home with Death Eaters and killers, then sleeping in whatever bed or on whatever floor the Order could spare him. _Well, not all to myself_, he corrected, watching as Hermione climbed into the portrait. _Her I can live with, _he smirked, following her through the hole.

Hermione gasped at the beautiful common room, it's warmth enveloping her like a bear hug._ This definitely feels like home_, she thought, stroking the plush arm of the sofa. The sofa sat in the center of the room, in front of a giant fireplace and surrounded by armchairs and a coffee table. Behind the sofa was a round table, large enough to fit both of them and all of their books, with a tall bookcase beside it. To the right, a kitchenette with a small refrigerator, stove and sink was separated from the room by an island with two barstools. To the left, a winding staircase brought them up to the mezzanine, which no doubt housed their rooms and the bathroom.

_The shared bathroom_, Hermione thought with a pout, looking back at Malfoy who was opening the cupboards in the kitchenette. She shrugged, figuring she could put up with sharing a bathroom with him if it meant staying here. She climbed up the stairs quickly to the center of the mezzanine. There was a railing along the edge, where she could look over the entirety of the floor below. On the other side of the door was a curved wall with two doors. One was a dark oak door with the Gryffindoor lion holding the letters HG within it grasp. She ran her finger over the royal-looking emblem, casting a glance at the second door. The door was black as ink, with a silver snake looped around the letters DM in a slender, serpent-like font. Even Hermione admitted it was beautiful as she turned away from it to enter her room.

She smiled at the comforts of the room, looking first at the plush four post bed with scarlet linens and a mountain of pillows. On either side of the bed there was a nightstand, made of the same oak as her door, and across the room there was a dresser in the same kind. There were two doors next to the dresser; on the right, a solid door leading to the bathroom she guessed. She'd look there last. Instead she strode over to the door on the left, the one with a giant pane of glass in its center. When she opened the door, she entered the largest walk-in closet she'd ever seen. As she flicked on the light, the glass pane altered, transforming into a mirror she could see herself in. She smiled at the simple but beautiful magic, switching off the light and heading towards the last door.

She opened it to find a long countertop with two sinks leading into a large bathroom with a marble-tiled shower as well as a long tub on the other end. Even the bathroom was luxurious and grand she remarked, looking up at the skylight above the tub. She closed her eyes and smiled, thinking about how she would be able to relax in that tub after a long day of work and patrols.

The door at the other end of the countertop opened suddenly and Hermione was brought out of her daydream. Draco entered, unclipping his outer robe and hanging it on the door hook behind him.

"Out then, Granger," he drawled. "Unless you fancy watching me undress." He continued, approaching her as he loosened his green and silver tie. "I think I'm going to like being just a door away from you."

Hermione backed away, rolling her eyes and angry with Draco for ruining her relaxing moment. "The door locks both ways, Malfoy, so don't even think about trying anything funny," she replied as she turned away from him, walking back to her own room.

"Does it?" he called out after her. "I guess I'll just have to come in through the window then," he said with a wink.

_Smarmy prat_, she thought as she closed the door and locked it. Her mind strayed back to that day on the battlefield, when he lay on the ground not moving, Arthur Weasley struggling to bring him back to reality. The water started running and could hear Malfoy jump into the marble shower she was admiring before. She walked over to the window and peered out of it, looking over the lake on the grounds of Hogwarts. She closed it soon after, not wanted the fall chill to permeate her room. She looked out the window for a second longer before she locked it quickly.

_Just in case_, she thought to herself, beginning to unpack her belongings.

…

**Clearly this is a Dramione fanfic, and clearly I have not kept true to Rowling's ending (though I loved it, I always hoped Draco would somehow redeem himself). Read and review if you think the story is worth continuing!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Dungeons

**Chapter 2: The Dungeons**

"Ron, your food isn't running away from you, you can slow down and chew before you swallow," Harry urged his friend, fearful that the boy might choke soon.

"I'm starvin' 'arry," Ron mumbled in between bites, finally taking a moment to swallow his food. "I feel like I haven't had a good meal in weeks!"

"The welcome feast was yesterday," Ginny reminded, looked upon her brother with disgust. Ron shrugged and continued eating ravenously, stopping only to quickly wave at Hermione as she took a seat by him.

"Where were you last night?" Ginny asked her friend, grabbing a few fruits and pastries to put on her plate. "You missed our 'Welcome Back to Hogwarts' party in the Gryff common room."

"Yeah, I didn't see you all night," Harry added, putting his arm around Ginny and grabbing a few grapes from off of her plate. Ron grimaced at them, but ignored their public display of affection and turned to look at Hermione.

"McGonogall showed me to the Heads' chambers last night and I spent the entire time unpacking and relaxing in my room," she replied, remembering how calm last night had been after Draco left. Seeing how starved Ron was and the bags under Harry and Ginny's eyes, she could guess that the party last night was anything but relaxing.

"You've your own room?" Ron repeated, accidentally spitting flecks of food across the table.

Hermione backed away from him, scooting slightly further down the bench. "Yes, and it's lovely! Well, it's not quite mine, Malfoy and I have to share the common spaces and the bathroom, but it's so much room I don't even mind it," she gushed, describing the beauty of the rooms to Ginny in great deal.

Harry and Ron looked between each other in disbelief. _Don't even mind it?_, Harry mouthed to his friend incredulously. Ron furrowed his brow and shrugged, glancing over at the blonde at the other end of the Hall. Draco was sitting with Blaise and Theo as usual, with Pansy and Daphne nearby. He looked at Hermione again, a soft pang in his heart recurring. He shook his head roughly, pushing aside his feelings and rejoined the conversation.

"And the walk-in closet is gorgeous too, although I don't have nearly enough clothing to fill it up," Hermione finished, Ginny looking at her jealously.

"So where is it? And what's the password?" Harry asked, seeing that Hermione's room would be a much better hangout spot than the overrun Gryffindor common room.

"I'm not telling you," Hermione responded, looking between her friends.

"Why not?" Ron asked, reaching the same conclusion as Harry. "You know we'll find out anyway so you might as well tell us." He smiled at her with mock innocence, which would have been much more convincing if he didn't have food stuck in his teeth.

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed, punching him lightly on the arm. "No way. That's my space, and it's going to stay that way."

"You know Malfoy is going to give his friends the password," Harry retorted, smiling at the pouty face Hermione responded with.

Ron and Ginny smiled as well, knowing that soon enough, Hermione would allow them access to the luxuries of the Heads' quarters. Content, Ginny changed the subject abruptly.

"So what do you think about the Opening Ball?" she asked Hermione expectantly.

Hermione sighed, smiling at her friend's excitement over such a trivial event. The Opening Ball was to be a new Hogwarts tradition, a night to celebrate their triumph over the Dark Lord and the school and its supporters' strength and courage to rebuild the castle brick by brick. Though Harry would have an important role in the event, much to his dismay, as the Head Girl and Head Boy, Hermione and Draco were expected to start the festivities, sharing the first dance of the night. Hermione was oddly nervous about the prospect of being in such close proximity to Draco, although unsure why.

"It should be interesting," she said vaguely, looking at Harry. Harry looked away, still sore with McGonogall for making him the Guest of Honor without his consent.

"Who will you be taking then?" Ginny asked bluntly. Hermione snapped back to her, and saw a hint of mischief in her eyes before it was gone, and Ginny donned a shocked and embarrassed look.

The four friends tensed, not knowing what to say to in the awkward situation. Ron pointedly stared at his food, dreading to hear what Hermione's response would be. Harry looked at his friend sympathetically, pinching his girlfriend under the table for her callousness. He glanced around, looking for anything to break the tension.

"Merlin's balls, we've got Potions first?" he groaned, looking over his class list. Hermione looked at him, a mixture of gratitude and relief on her face.

"Yeah I hear we have to choose partners that we keep for the entire year," Ron said, echoing Harry's groan. "We're off to a great start."

The three slung their bags over their shoulders, Harry leaning down to give Ginny a quick peck on the cheek. Hermione sighed resignedly. "To the dungeons," she groaned, leading the way to the dark, dank Potions classroom.

…

Professor Slughorn greeted his students jovially as they piled in, a mixture of excitement and discontent amongst the seventh years at the start of their final year of schooling.

"Good morning all! Welcome to the first Potions class of the new Hogwarts year!" Slughorn exclaimed brightly.

Draco exchanged glances with Blaise, whose eyes rolled to the back of his head as he feigned throwing up. Smirking, the Head Boy turned back to his Professor, who was rambling on about how strong his students were, to come back to their magnificent school after the hardships they faced. He continued his "inspirational" opening for a while and Draco grew bored instantly.

_Get on with it old man, _he thought impatiently, tired from the antics of the previous night. _We all know of the hardships we faced, we were there._

"Now as you know, this year in Potions is unlike your previous years. There will be a greater deal of potion brewing and far less potion studying," Slughorn explained, amidst cheers from a large portion of the students.

"I'm glad you're as excited as I am," he beamed. "A harsh reality of the situation is that we do not have the space or supplies for all of you to brew your own potions, thus we will be assigning partnerships that will continue until the N.E.W.T. exams in the spring."

"Assigning?" Seamus Finnigan interrupted, looking around the room and seeing faces of many students who he would not fancy working with and who shared his opinion, not fancying losing their eyebrows for the next year.

"Assigning, Mr. Finnigan," Slughorn repeated. "The assignments will be based according to academic standings, with the number one and number two ranked students as partners, the number three and number four ranked students as partners, and so on and so forth."

Hermione turned around in her seat at the front of the classroom, glancing back at Draco in the last row. Draco smirked back at her, blowing her a kiss mockingly. She glared at him and looked back at the professor, raising her hand but not waiting to be called on.

"Professor, wouldn't it be more educational for the top students to be paired with students lower in the academic standings?" she asked desperately.

"And have the top students carry all of the workload while their partners coast along on their skills? No Miss Granger, this way all students will be forced to challenge themselves and become brilliant Potions masters!" Slughorn cried out excitedly.

"Now there will be no more discussion," he said as more hands shot up with protestations. He pulled out a scroll from the pocket of his robes and began reading off names.

"Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Draco Malfoy," he called out, looking up from his scroll at the Head Boy and Girl.

_Saw that coming a mile away, _Hermione groaned inwardly. She looked back at Draco again, and realizing there was no chance he would move to the front with her, she picked up her books and reluctantly joined him in the back of the classroom.

"Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Blaise Zabini," Slughorn continued, and students began to switch seats to join their appointed partners.

"So good of you to join me, Granger," Draco whispered, leaning in a little too close for Hermione's comfort.

She stuck a finger in the middle of his chest and pushed him back towards his seat. "It's not as though I had much of a choice," she said, turning away from him to face the front of the classroom.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun together this year, don't you agree?" he continued whispering. Hermione didn't fail to catch his double entendre. She tried to ignore him, instead opening her Potions book and immersing herself in it.

"Oh please, Granger. Even you can't pretend you're too busy with studies already," he groaned, sliding the book out of her hands. "Are you not even going to talk to me?" he asked, pouting dramatically.

Hermione rolled her eyes, biting her lip to hold back a smile that threatened to escape. _He looks remarkably adorable when he does that, _her mind betrayed her. "Give me my book back Malfoy. There, I'm talking to you. Happy?" she asked sarcastically, holding out her hand.

He looked at her for a moment then held out her book towards her, letting go a moment too soon. The book fell to the floor behind them. Hermione shot him a glare, hopping off of her seat to bend over and pick up the book.

As he watched her from behind, Draco muttered suggestively, "Yes Granger, now I'm happy."

Hermione shot up, smoothing her skirt down self-consciously and punching Draco in the arm. _Am I going to have to put up with this all year?_ she thought frustratedly, wondering if she would in fact be able to handle Draco and his antics.

As Slughorn began to go over the potion they were assigned to brew this class period, Hermione opened her notebooks and began furiously taking notes. She glanced over at Draco, who was quickly jotting down the professor's advice in his book, a look of concentration gracing his features.

_Odd. One minute he's a randy teenage boy, the next he's as studious as I am_, she thought to herself with a small smile. Draco suddenly looked up, catching her staring at him. Hermione looked away quickly, a tinge of red brightening her cheeks. She didn't even have to look at him to know he was smirking. _Git_.

…

Draco concentrated, staring hard in front of him without blinking so as not to miss a beat. He was getting much better at this, he could feel it. He just needed to keep his eye on the ball and react as quickly as possible.

"Gahhh, I'm so boorredddddd…" Blaise groaned, sprawled across the couch in the Slytherin common rooms.

Draco blinked, and the fireball he had been bouncing on his wand fell, lighting the carpet by his feet on fire. He put it out quickly, glancing at Blaise reproachfully.

"It's only the first day mate, how can you be bored already?" Theo asked, though he too was sitting idly about the dungeons looking for something to do.

"Why don't we go to your room, Draco? We can have some fun pissing off Granger," he said with a devilish smirk.

"I figured I might give her a week's peace before I start any tormenting," Draco replied, mirroring his friends' smirk. "You know, lull her into a false sense of security and the like."

Just then Pansy and a group of her friends walked into the room, heading towards the girls' chambers.

"Hello Drakie," she mewled in a voice she thought was seductive. Her friends giggled around her as the horde headed up the stairs.

Draco feigned a gag, shuddering involuntarily. "I can't believe I once shagged her. What was I thinking? And what kind of friends are you letting me do that?" he growled, punching Blaise in the leg.

"So I take it you're not asking her to the Opening Ball then?" he asked sitting up, bringing his leg out of his friend's reach.

"Are you mad?! Not if hell froze over," he replied, curling his lip up in distaste.

Theo looked at the stairs leading up to the girls' chambers. "Well we all know who I'm going with, so I'm off to pay her a visit," he sighed, heading to his girlfriend, Daphne Greengrass's room.

"If not Pans, who are you planning to ask?" Blaise continued, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"What are you playing at?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Granger perhaps?" Blaise suggested, looking up at him with a cheeky smile, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Sod off, Zabini," Draco said icily, letting his friend know that was the end of the conversation.

Blaise shrugged indifferently, getting up and heading to the boys' chambers. "I'm gonna head to sleep then. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Draco nodded, not looking at him but staring into the fire. The fact that Blaise could see something was up between him and Hermione didn't surprise him; they were practically brothers and Blaise could always read him like a book. He just didn't like the feeling knowing Blaise had something to hold over him. Brothers though they may be, they were still Slytherins, still able to play cruel tricks on each other without remorse.

He got up from his chair, heading towards the portrait door. As he turned, he saw someone descending the stairs leading from the boys' chambers.

"Weasley?" he asked incredulously, as he recognized the red haired girl. "What the bloody hell are you doing in the dungeons at this time of the night?"

Her tousled hair and disheveled clothing was answer enough for him, though she didn't seem shocked or scared having been caught in the act.

"None of your business, Malfoy," she said coolly, an edge to her voice. She brushed past him, heading towards the portrait door. When she reached the door, she paused and turned around, her eyes dark with wrath. "And it's none of Hermione's either," she seethed, arching an eyebrow in threat.

…

**Sorry for those of you who like Ginny. I don't. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Lake

**Sorry for the delay, it's been a crazy week! Hope you haven't lost interest.**

**Chapter 3: The Lake**

Panting, Draco pulled himself out of the water and sat up on the grass, relishing the crisp fall air around him as he caught his breath. He grabbed his wand, which he had left behind a nearby rock, and cast a warming spell. As his heart rate returned to normal he looked out over the lake, the water peaceful and still again after his midnight swim.

It had been two weeks since he found the female Weasley sneaking out of the dungeons after a romp with someone who was clearly not The Chosen One. He knew it shouldn't bother him, what the Gryffindors did to each other was for them to worry about. And yet he couldn't stop thinking about it, which is why he found himself here at this time of the night. Swimming laps in the lake always calmed him down and was the best way he could relieve his stress. Well, one of the best ways.

He thought it should amuse him, knowing that the great and mighty Harry Potter could fight off the darkest of wizards, but he couldn't keep his woman satisfied. But after everything that he went through, after everything they all went through, he knew it was the furthest thing from amusing. He found himself hating the little red-haired witch, and hating himself for caring so much. She was sleeping with Adrian Pucey he knew; it was easy to discern that from the smug look on the bastard's face whenever he passed by the trio. There was a reason he never liked the twat. He debated telling Hermione, but decided against it, knowing that she would never believe him over her best friend. _But what reason would I have to lie?_ he thought to himself.

Groaning, he ran his hands through his hair, gripping the strands as he dropped his head between his legs. _So much for a relaxing swim_, he grumbled, frustrated with his inner turmoil.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound from beyond the trees nearby. He could hear footsteps coming fast, _Running_, he thought, the sounds muffled by the leaves on the ground. He could hear the runner panting and realized they must be close, so he grabbed his wand and moved behind some of the brush by the lake.

Hermione burst out from the trees, slowing down to a stop by the lake as her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest. Merlin, she loved the feeling after a good run, her legs light and free, her body shining with sweat. She always ended her run with a sprint, running so fast and so hard she felt as though she were flying, until she could barely move anymore.

She bent down, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath and looked out over the lake, the moon reflecting in the black water. Her head was finally clear, no more thoughts of the awkwardness between her and Ron, the strange tension she began to feel around Ginny, the pressure of her classes and her post, the annoying blonde she had to spend day in and day out with, and the fact that she knew as hard as they tried, Hogwarts would never be the same again. Just peace. She was calm for the first time in years, she realized, grabbing some water from the bottle she had left by the lake.

Draco watched Hermione as she stood by the lake, catching her breath. She seemed to shine in the moonlight as she stared out at the view he was enjoying not moments ago. She looked serene and he realized that she ran for the same reasons he swam. _What's tormenting her?_ he wondered.

He knew he had to tell her, it was clear to him then. He moved out of the brush he was crouching behind and strode over to her.

"What the hell, Malfoy?" Hermione started, her calm demeanor immediately shattered as she startled at his sudden appearance. "Why are you lurking about in the bushes?" she asked angrily.

"I'm stalking you Granger, I thought that would be obvious," he replied dryly, quirking an eyebrow.

Hermione glared.

"I heard a noise. Instinct," he responded truthfully after he realized she wasn't buying it.

Hermione softened her glare, though she was no less annoyed by the disruption. She gathered by his state of undress and still wet locks that he had just been swimming in the lake. She sighed, looking away from him and turning back to the scenery in front of her, hoping to regain some of her newly achieved tranquility. It was of no use.

"Look Granger, I have to tell you something," Draco started as he took a step towards her. She continued to look forward and he wondered if she had even heard him.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, tilting her head in his direction but not looking at him.

"It's about Weasley," he began, and she looked at him sharply expecting a disdainful comment. "The girl," he clarified.

Hermione turned to him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, her expression morphing from anger to confusion.

Draco ran his hand through his hair roughly and looked at her directly. "She's sleeping with Adrian Pucey."

Her eyes flashed with shock for a moment, then darkened with rage. She stepped towards him fuming. "What?" she seethed.

Draco stood his ground, still holding her gaze. If looks could kill, he would have been as good as Avada'd right now. But he had to tell her, even if she didn't believe him.

"I saw her coming out of the boys' chamber in the dungeons one night. I know it's Pucey because he's the only tosser who'd be daft enough to sleep with Potter's girlfriend," he explained rationally, knowing she was beyond reason right now.

"You're lying," she fumed, still stepping towards him menacingly.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "What reason would I have to lie?" he asked, repeating his thoughts from before.

He saw a flash of doubt across her face as she struggled to find a response to his accusation. He could tell she was contemplating his words as her eyes, still boring into his, glazed over in thought.

"Just thought you should know," he said quietly, breaking her out of her thoughts. He nodded his head at her and turned away to return to the castle.

"No, Ginny would never!" she yelled at his retreating form, though the conviction in her voice didn't quite meet her eyes.

Hermione collapsed on the ground, shaking with fury, her once calm mood long gone. _Ginny would never, _she repeated to herself. _She'd never do that to Harry, to the Weasleys, to all of them_._ Never._

And yet…she seemed different somehow. Hermione only saw flashes of it before she went back to the Ginny she always knew and loved, but they were there, she couldn't ignore it. Flashes of mischief, but more than that, of…_evil?_ she thought, shuddering. Whatever it was, it made Hermione very uneasy when she recognized it in her best friend. _But cheating? With a Slytherin? After all she and Harry had been through?_

_No fucking way._

…

"'Mione, come on, you have to join us!" Ron pleaded as he, Harry, and most of her friends around her began to strip down to their bathing suits or underwear.

"Come on, you can study all afternoon," Harry added, crouching down and tugging on her book. "Come swim with us for a bit and then we promise we'll let you study to your heart's content." He flashed her a winning smile and her heart melt a little.

"I would, but I didn't bring my bathing suit and I'm not as comfortable running around in my underthings as some of our classmates," she added with a distasteful look around her.

She looked up, noticing a group of Slytherins joining the rest of the school around the lake. Among them was Draco, who Hermione had avoided since his revelation by the lake a few nights ago. _The vicious lies_, she corrected herself angrily.

And yet, when she glanced at Ginny who was stripping down to her bra and underwear, she noticed her subtle glance towards the Slytherins, and how she eyed them as she seductively pulled her skirt down her legs.

Hermione thought she was going to be sick. _He wasn't lying was he? _she realized sadly. She looked over to the Slytherin group, none of whom deigned to enter the water with their fellow classmates as they gathered around the lake. She spotted Draco, who was looking directly at Ginny with a look of revulsion on his face.

""Mione?" Ron repeated, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you sure you're not coming?" he asked expectantly.

Forcing a smile, Hermione replied, "No Ron, maybe later. You guys go, have fun!"

She tried to focus on her books again, but when she looked up, she saw Ginny and Harry playing in the lake. Harry looked so happy with her, happier than Hermione had seen him in years. Ginny looked like herself again, and Hermione doubted the glances she thought she had seen.

_Enough of this, _she thought to herself. _I'll just talk to her, straighten this out._ She didn't want to believe Draco's words, but she had to make sure he was lying, for Harry's sake.

All of a sudden, she felt herself being lifted off of the ground and thrown over strong shoulders. From the freckles on his back and his apologies, Hermione recognized her captor to be one Ronald Weasley.

"Ron, if you don't put me down right now, I'll hex you black and blue!" Hermione threatened, pounding on his back.

Draco, as well as all of the school gathered around the lake, watched the scene with great interest.

"He's a dead man," Blaise snickered, and Draco had to agree. He smirked as he watched the small girl flail about uselessly as Ron carried her to the lake.

"I'm going to put you down Hermione, just not yet. I'm sorry! Don't hate me!" he said apologetically again, yet he continued to carry her to the edge of the lake.

Hermione's eyes widened with realization. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, if you drop me into the lake, you will die a horribly painful death."

Ron slowed to a stop by the edge of the lake, a guilty look on his face. "I'll take my chances," he said with a small smile and he tossed her into the lake with ease, cannon-balling in right after her.

Harry, Ginny, Ron, Seamus, Dean and several of her friends watched apprehensively as Hermione emerged from underwater, gasping for air and splashing as she tried to gain her balance and tread water.

As startled as she was, the water felt amazing around her on the surprisingly warm September day. She narrowed her eyes menacingly at Ron, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. She swam over to him as they all watched, paralyzed with fear.

She smirked when she reached him, splashing him in the face. "You're dead Weasley," she said with a laugh, jumping on him and shoving his head under the water. Ron struggled for a minute, then grabbed her around the waist and flipped her over with a splash. The others laughed and joined in splashing and swimming around as the tension around Hermione ebbed.

Draco watched as Hermione pulled herself out of the water, her uniform clinging to her curves tightly. The water had made her once white button down entirely see-through and her red lace bra was suggestively peeking through. Draco gaped as she bent over to squeeze the water out of her hair, her skirt riding up so that he and all of the Slytherins caught glimpse of her matching underwear.

"Phhew," Blaise whistled, his eyes glued to the Gryffindor who clearly had no idea what she was doing to the men surrounding the lake. "The Boy Wonder's sidekick is all grown up now," he smirked, continuing to ogle Hermione as she walked back to her books.

Draco looked around, noticing all of the Slytherins nearly drooling as they gaped at her, as well as most of the males in the water, who had stopped their ridiculous splashing to watch Hermione intently. He growled as he pushed himself off of the ground and walked over to her.

"Quite the show you put on there, Granger," he quipped as he leant against the tree she had left her books by. She looked up at him while she continued to put her books into her bag.

"Not really my choice, Malfoy. Ron was the one who threw me into the lake," she replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"So oblivious," Draco muttered under his breath, but Hermione still caught it. She furrowed her brow at him, but pushed past him on her way back to the castle, not giving him a chance to explain himself.

Draco watched her retreating form with interest. "Great tits, Granger," he called after her with a smirk.

She stopped in her tracks, her face turning as red as her bra as she looked down at her soaked-through top. She might as well have been running around in her underthings for all the good her shirt did her now. Groaning, she wrapped her robe around her tightly, much to the dismay of the males around her, and ran into the castle.

…

"Hey Gin," Hermione greeted her friend as she strode into the Gryffindor sixth year girls' chambers. There was nobody else in the room, she noted as she locked the door behind her.

"Hermione, how are you?" Ginny gushed, bouncing off of her bed and pulling Hermione into a hug. Hermione smiled into her hair seeing her best friend back to normal, as she second-guessed the reason for her visit.

_This is insanity_, she thought again. _There's no way that Ginny is cheating on Harry._

"Sorry about Ron," she continued, pulling away and sitting down at the edge of her bed. "He and Harry weren't enjoying themselves while you were sitting on the shore reading, so they decided to drag you in," she explained with a laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Hermione noticed the look in her eyes but couldn't quite place the emotion. _Jealousy?_ she thought incredulously, shaking her head at the notion.

She looked at her friend long and hard, confused by her rapidly changing expressions. Hermione didn't know what to do with her, how to act or what to say. She needed to find out the truth, why her best friend and her basically brother's girlfriend was suddenly acting so strange.

"Ginny, is everything all right?" she asked with genuine concern. She joined her, sitting on the edge of her bed and turning to face the redhead.

Ginny furrowed her brow and laughed. "What do you mean, 'Mione? Everything's great."

"I dunno, you seem different," Hermione continued cautiously, not wanting to admit that she doubted her friend's word. "Are you and Harry doing well?"

Ginny narrowed her eyes at her friend. "We're doing great. Has he said anything otherwise?"

"No!" Hermione replied quickly, flashing her a reassuring smile. "He says everything is perfect, he couldn't be happier."

Again Ginny smiled, but Hermione could tell she didn't mean it. "I just heard a vicious rumor from someone and I wanted to let you know about it."

"What rumor?" Ginny asked quietly, her eyes narrowing into slits again.

Hermione sighed, swallowing the lump in her throat. "That you were seen leaving a boys' room after hours that wasn't Harry's."

Ginny laughed dryly and stood up from her bed, turning around to face Hermione. "And you came up here to tell me why? So that we could stop these rumors before they get out? Or to find out if they were true or not?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, Ginny I—"

"You believe it don't you? Or at least you have enough doubt to question me about it! I can't believe that you would suspect me of this after all of these years."

"Ginny, I—"

"What's it going to be 'Mione?" Ginny asked as tears formed in her eyes. "Are you going to believe me or Malfoy?"

"Gin, I—" Hermione stopped suddenly, never getting to finish her sentence. She stood up and faced Ginny, confusion written all over her face. "I never said anything about Malfoy."

Ginny flushed for a second before returning to her insulted expression. "Well of course it was Malfoy, what other Slytherin do you talk to?" she asked trying to salvage her innocence.

Hermione scoffed, realizing the truth in the situation. "I never said anything about Slytherins either."

Seeing there was no way out of this argument, Ginny steeled herself, staring back at her once friend, who looked back at her in disbelief.

"Well then, I guess you caught me, Hermione," Ginny said with an evil smirk. "You always were such a know-it-all, I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Hermione stared at the girl across from her, trying to find an ounce of the Ginny she once knew in the cold eyes that looked back at her. She was a tornado of emotions, angry at the girl for ruining everything, betraying Harry, sad at the loss of one of her best friends, confused as to what sparked this evil streak in this once pure and happy girl, and mostly exhausted by this entire situation. She wanted nothing more than to run out the room, down the stairs, and out of the castle, as fast and as far as her legs would take her, until she couldn't run anymore. But she had to know one thing.

"Why?"

"Ha!" Ginny laughed cruelly, glaring at her. "Why?" she repeated, approaching Hermione menacingly.

"Because I'm sick of being Harry Potter's girlfriend. Of being Ronald Weasley's little sister, or Hermione Granger's best friend. The sidekick of the precious Golden Trio," she continued mockingly. "Because Harry is more in love with the idea of having a girlfriend than he is with me. Because anytime you walk into the room, the two of them forget I even exist.

"Mostly, I do it because I can. For the thrill of it. They make me feel like a woman so much more than Harry has ever been able to."

"They?" Hermione gasped, her eyes widening in realization. "There's more than one? More than just Pucey?" Ginny just shrugged and Hermione felt like she was going retch.

"So why not break up with Harry? Why do you have to _cheat_ on him?" Hermione asked, spitting out the word like venom.

"Why not?" Ginny responded, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "Harry would probably know already if he cared to, I haven't been very subtle about it. But he doesn't care. He's happy to go on living this dream life, this ideal relationship that he's always wanted. Why take that from him?"

"Oh please, you're doing this for Harry?" Hermione spat out. "Don't make me laugh."

Ginny shrugged again, still staring at her once friend now with a blank look in her eyes. She seemed indifferent to the entire conversation, and it made Hermione's heart hurt.

"I'm going to give you two weeks to tell him, and then I'll tell him," Hermione whispered, looking away from Ginny's empty green eyes as she moved towards the door.

Ginny intercepted her, standing between her and the freedom outside of the oppressive room. "You don't get to dictate this one, Granger," Ginny seethed, emphasizing the distance she created between the two with the use of her last name.

"As much as they care for you, Harry loves me," she said mockingly, making Hermione's blood run hot with anger. "And Ron is my beloved brother. No matter what you say, do you really think they'll take your word over mine? Harry might be inclined to listen, but I can deal with that in many ways," she said seductively. "And Ron won't choose your side over mine and Harry's, not after everything you've done to him.

"So let me ask you one thing, Granger," she said smugly. "Is this really worth losing all of your friends over?"

Hermione sighed again, dropping her head. The bitch was right she knew it, but she couldn't keep this from Harry, or from Ron.

She pushed past Ginny, heading towards the door again. "Two weeks, Weasley. Or I will."

…

The trees were a blur as they rushed past her, the leaves crunching loudly under her feet. But she didn't hear that, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart. She had been running for so long she could barely feel her legs anymore. Her body was drenched in sweat, as though it had just been raining, and her hair was flying behind her wildly, falling out of her headband and ponytail. Her tears were nearly blinding her, but Hermione knew the path so well that it didn't matter.

As she reached the clearing, where the forest ended at the shore of the lake, she pushed even harder, knowing she had little left to give. She burst out of the clearing and collapsed on her knees, her head and heart throbbing as her legs gave out. She rolled over so she lay on her back, hoping to reach a sense of calm that running always brought her. Yet all she could do was think about Ginny, and how her friends would never be the same again. The war had changed everything, and she realized now that it wasn't all for good.

She lay there for a while listening to her heart pound in her ears and watching the stars blink in the sky above her. As her heart rate slowed, she could hear the water in the lake lapping about the shore. She turned her head toward the lake and noticed someone pulling himself out of the water.

His upper body was toned and strong, glistening with water from the lake. He looked incredible, silhouetted against the moonlight. She pushed herself up with what little strength she had and approached him.

Draco noticed Hermione walking towards him as he shook the water out of his hair. With her clothes clinging to her in sweat, her cheeks flushed from running, and her hair wild behind her, she looked…amazing. Draco smirked as he watched her, her chest still heaving from her run.

When she reached him, Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't figure out what. Instead she looked at him and took a seat on the grass. He got the message, taking a seat beside her and looking out at the lake again.

"You were right," Hermione whispered after a while, not looking away from the view in front of them.

Draco had no response, knowing she wasn't really looking for one.

"I couldn't believe it, looking at her. She's not the same person I knew, I loved," she continued, tears falling from her eyes.

"How did Potter take it?" Draco asked, slightly uncomfortable by her crying.

Hermione wiped her eyes and looked down. "I didn't tell him," she said quietly. "I only talked to her, told her to tell him the truth in two weeks or I would."

Draco nodded, glancing at her. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but she had stopped crying. She looked resigned, almost tired.

"She won't tell him," she stated, more to herself than to him. "She won't so I will. And he won't believe me," she continued. "He'll hate me, they all will."

"Doing the right thing can be really shitty sometimes," Draco muttered bitterly.

Hermione looked over at him sympathetically. "You didn't have to tell me about her, and yet you did. And I was horrible to you.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, after some time had passed. He nodded in acknowledgement, not saying anything else.

A long silence passed before she said, "You know, Ginny will be after you now, now that she knows you told me."

Draco smirked as he stood up, extending a hand out to Hermione. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Hermione furrowed her brow with a small smile. "Shakespeare," she said curiously. "How did you know that?"

Draco shrugged, his smirk turning into a small smile. "I read, Granger. Even muggle books."

She stared at him for a while, getting lost in his steel grey eyes before he spoke again.

"Tolkien is a great author as well. It's interesting to see how muggles imagine magic."

Hermione nodded at him, finally taking his hand and pulling herself up. _I guess some things did change for the better._

…

**A little longer than usual, I realized. I'll try to get the next update out asap. Please review!**


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